Citation

Menon ST, Kotze E. Hum. Resource Manag. 2007; 46(1): 71-94.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2007, John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1002/hrm.20146

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Following the dramatic transformation of SouthAfrican civil society in the postapartheid era, the SouthAfrican National Defence Force (SANDF) literally has had to reinvent itself, changing its mission and attempting to integrate diverse personnel into a cohesive whole.The present study examines the success of these efforts through select perceptual measures reflecting the extent of integration.A survey of 2,212 personnel from various units of the SouthAfrican military showed significant differences in empowerment by race and gender. Female personnel reported lower levels of goal internalization, delegated responsibilities, job involvement, and organizational commitment compared to male personnel. BlackAfrican personnel reported lower levels of perceived control, competence, delegated responsibilities, and consultation by superiors while exhibiting higher levels of goal internalization and job involvement than white personnel. Follow-up interviews provided insight into the underlying dynamics of the integration process and potential explanations for the results. ©2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.